Do you celebrate? We don't too but you just can't ignore the increasing popularity of this festival.
In fact, our little Jayden is also intrigued by the pumpkins!
Trick or Treat?
Monday, October 31, 2011
Happy Halloween!
Sunday, October 30, 2011
My New iPhone4S
It has a funny little story behind it and it started from this.
On M1's iPhone website, it was stated that M1 has sold out all the stock for the 64GB of both colors. And we went to the nearby mall in search for my wife's iPhone4S to replace her very old iPhone3GS. Singtel was sold out and when we arrived there, only the 16GB black iPhone4S was left. We then decided to pop by one of the M1 retailers, The Handphone Shop to check if there were any stocks for me. At that point, I was actually hesitating to get a iPhone4S and more so, on the capacity required. I did recall that M1 website states that there is no more stocks for 64GB left.
So, I make a remark to my wife telling her that I will confirm plus chop get it if there is stocks for the 64GB which I was kinda 100% sure there is NO STOCKS. But, stocks are fortunately or unforunately available. It was really quite funny. I was like so SUPER confident that there will be no stocks for the 64GB version.
After queuing for about an hour plus, here is the little stuff from Apple.
My White iPhone4S 64GB. Do I need 64GB? I don't think so since I still have 12GB left on my iPhone4 32GB. But I did make a silly remark so here is the 64GB version.
Am I happy with it? Check this out.
The white iPhone is the iPhone4S and the black one is the iPhone4. It is really very obvious that the screen on the iPhone4S has a yellowish tint to it. Some say that it is a warmer color. Google around and you will find tons of posts about this problem. Apparently, Apple is using different suppliers for the screen and all screen varies. Some have it even more yellowish and others still have the cool bluer tone which is similar to the iPhone4. Having used the iPhone4 for more than a year, this warmer tone is still bugging me. I am not sure if I could go to M1 Paragon/Plaza Sing and request for a new set. Any one with this problem and managed to change a set?
For potential iPhone4S owners, do take note that the button placements on the iPhone4S and the iPhone4 is slightly different as can be seen in the photo above. On the iPhone4S, the mute/rotation switch and the volume buttons are slightly shifted downwards. If your previous iPhone4 is those with a huge slot at the sides, you will be fine. But for other cases where they open just a small hole for the mute switch, the old cases just could not be used.
Hazel is still laughing at me.
^-^""
Friday, October 28, 2011
Yue Yue and some other perspective
I took a break from blogging. And during this break, this piece of news really stirred up rage and fury online.
You must have already heard about it. Its the case where a little girl, Yue Yue, just only 2 years old was left helpless on the street after being knocked down two times. If you have not seen the gruesome video, it is here. Be warned though, it is really inhuman and painful. (BTW, I didn't watch it. Couldn't bear) And she is dead now.
I was on a training course sent by my company last week and in the course, I met another colleague, a China Chinese working in another arm of my company. She came over to Singapore for her polytechnic education and then met her husband, a Malaysian Chinese in the company. She made a few comments in the class, openly condemning China and the society. During one part of the course, the trainer showed a video showing the traffic conditions in various parts of the world and China was in one of it. Some discussions went on and the topic of accident came in.
She shared that in China, many drivers will rather kill the accident victim by running over them again. The law in China makes it expensive for the driver that has knocked down the victim. The driver has to pay for any expenses for the foreseeable future!
Back to Yue Yue's case is still ongoing, many suspected that the second run over was in an attempt to kill her. Did you know that just two days ago, there is a little publicized story where a little boy, 5 was killed in yet another similar case? Xiong Maoke, 5 was run over and then the driver reversed to crush him again to make sure he dies.
I shall not go into the specifics and details on law making etc, and even more ridiculous news about the lady helping Yue Yue just because of publicity, but I think the news and media are missing the point.
WHERE ARE THE PARENTS WHEN THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED?
Yue Yue was just two years old! What are the parents thinking if they just left her alone in a busy street? Shouldn't they be holding on to her and keeping an close eye on what she was doing? I doubt a 2 year old is capable of maneuvering herself properly and steadily. It was only after ten minutes that the parents came back into the picture to carry Yue Yue up. That means that for a whole ten minutes, her parents was not paying attention to her! I could not find any article or interview asking about the whereabouts of the parents when the accident happened.
If they didn't keep a close eye on her own precious daughter, were they expecting that a 2 year old will be able to protect herself, look out for cars, not run around going into the road?
On a similar note, I read this somewhere (can't remember where now), "If you didn't hold your kid hand when crossing the road, don't expect that your shouts and screams will stop him/her when he/she dashes across the road or stops in the middle of the road with a car coming."
Thursday, October 6, 2011
A Tribute to Steve Jobs, 1955-2011
It is a sad day for quite a lot of people. Just yesterday, I did a post on the new iPhone, the iPhone 4S. Later that night, I sat in front of the computer watching the streaming video of the press event and hoping to catch a glimpse of the man, Steve Jobs. He did not appear. Now, we know why.
Today, Apple has announced that Steve Jobs has passed away. I guess the new iPhone 4S will be the last product that he has possibly had some sort of involvement. Well, it is iPhone 4S or iPhone 4Steve.
As a boy, I have always been fascinated with the Apple products but they have always commanded a premium in price. I was still taking pocket money and could not convince my parents to get me one. The first iMac was a beauty in its days and everyone around me was saying how good Apple is for graphical prowess and operating system. I got my first taste of the Mac just only in 2009 where I got my own iMac 24". I did have had some chance in playing around with Hazel's Macbook but that user experience was quite limited. I immediately fell in love with the Mac. Everything makes sense. It just works. No doubt, there are issues and compatibility issues for Microsoft documents but it was soon ironed out when Microsoft launched the Office for Mac. Now that I am onto another iMac, the iMac 27", I still love it and Mac will probably be the only type of desktop I will be using from now on.
It is amazing for me to be sticking onto one type of phone. Sure, I have made the switch from iPhone 3GS to iPhone4 and now most definitely iPhone4S. But it is rare for me to be staying with one type of phone. I have been changing phones and their systems before I started using iPhones. Symbian, Windows CE, Windows Mobile, etc. And then iPhone came. It literally stopped me from trying out Andriod system. Why?
Because iPhone is just great. The ecosystem and the pioneering method of using fingers instead of stylus to interact with your phone is awesome. And that is because Steve Jobs threw away two prototypes of the iPhone before deciding on the third one.
And with Steve's death, it just reminds me of how life is so so fragile. He is just 56. Barely 25 years older than me. He had pancreatic cancer and then a liver transplant and was back into action. A few weeks ago, he stepped down as CEO and now suddenly, he is dead.
RIP Steve. Thank you for all the creative ideas and innovation. You did insanely great!
PS: This entire blog post was done on a MacBook Air.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
The new iPhone for Photographers
Yeah. I was really really hoping for an iPhone 5. Rumors spreading in the net with casing makers doing up new casings for the rumored iPhone 5 with larger display and an even slimmer profile was really really exciting. But no, Apple has decided to hold back whatever they have in mind and released the iPhone 4S just a few hours ago. This has really dampened the whole excitement. And like what my favorite Singapore blogger, mrbrown has to say, iPhone4S = iPhone 4 Sian.
Really, even for an Apple fanboy like me, the news is quite sian after so much expectation and anticipation.
Should I still got for it and get it? I already have an iPhone4 no?
It turns out that they did upgrade one very very important component of the phone for people like me.
The camera. The camera in the iPhone4 is already pretty darn good I must admit. And with apps like Camera+ and Instagram on the iPhone, you are looking at endless ways to upload and edit your photos right on the phone without downloading it to a computer first.
The new 8MP camera has a F2.4 aperture which allows even more light in and better shots for low light condition! Wow!
It even has a hybrid IR filter!! These additional features alone will tempt many of the iPhone photographers to upgrade their phone.
But wait, there is more!
It is using the iPad 2 processer for a much faster CPU and enhanced graphics processing speed.
And if you are like many other Apple users complaining about battery life, Apple claims that you will have at least 8 hours of 3G talktime and 200 standby hours. We shall wait and see if it really lasts longer than the current iPhone.
And the iPhone4S now comes in 64GB favour as well. MUST GET! And at the relatively cheap price as compared to the current line up.
The Apple iPhone 4S ships on October 14 and will be available to order for people living in the above countries by October 7.
Luckily for us in the tiny red dot, we get ours on October 28! Just 2 weeks after the official launch in the US. Yay!
We will just wait for the release from our local telcos on the pricing and pre-order.
I did not post on all the new features of the iPhone4S, like the Siri Voice Control Assistant, etc.
Check out the rest of the specs here.
From west to east - Changi Airport Terminal 3
Changi Airport was never on my list of places to visit. Neither was it a place that I would want to go from my home since I will be practically travelling from one end of Singapore to the other. But a few days back, after brainstorming where to go to and got a little lost, we did make that trip.
I will never be able to see Changi Airport as a shopping destination. To me, it is an airport. A place where you go and get to see only when you take an aeroplane. Period. But the way shops and amenities are designed in Changi Airport just shows that they already had the idea of making it a place to go for people staying in the east, or actually a kid's friendly place.
We went off exploring the place, not before grabbing a bite at the Popeye's.
PS: The Munchers thingy is really bad. Perhaps, it was because the food was already cold. No idea but we will not be ordering the same thing again.
There was this Sing Kids Play System gym in Terminal 3. As a parent, it just grabs your attention. The place features a very open design. Anyone could just stand right outside the area and be able to see every station clearly. This could perhaps prevent bullying or other criminal acts happening. Jayden is still way too small for such gyms but I am pretty sure we will be back.
Just a few more steps, a free public play area for kids!
And a few more steps....
The T3 slide. This slide is free and it looks pretty fun! They aptly call this slide the "World's tallest slide.....IN AN AIRPORT." Hmmm. -_- The catch is that you need to spend $10 to get a ticket for a free ride for the 12m slide. The one and a half storey slide at B2 is free though.
Entry Requirements
- For Level 1 slide, participants have to be at least 1.3 metres tall. Maximum height allowed is 2.0 metres tall. Children aged 7 and below are not allowed.
- For Basement 2 slide, participants have to be at least 1.1 metres tall. Maximum height allowed is 2.0 metres tall. Children aged 5 and below are not allow
We moved on exploring other parts of the airport and Hazel was happily introducing some exhibits to Jayden.
We noticed that the signs nearby says that there is a viewing gallery at level 4 and Hazel was all excited about going there showing the little Jayden aeroplanes and possibly, ones that are taking off!
Oh well, we did get to show Jayden planes. Just smaller. A LOT SMALLER. To Changi Airport, please rename your signs properly. Viewing gallery is not a gallery where you exhibit air plane models. It is really misleading (or perhaps I was wrong?)
This is the Terminal 3 gallery.
Changi Airport still has quite a bit more to go in order to attract more people to the place to shop, dine and have fun. There are still lots of empty stalls where more tenants could have set up shop. But we will be back in months to come for the slide experience and some fun time in SingKids PlaySystem.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
McDonald's Monopoly Game 2011
I heart this game. And if you still didn't know (which cannot be the case), McDonald's Monopoly game is back! This will be the third year running for this game in Singapore. From now till 2nd November 2011, the game is on! What is different this year is that McDonald's guarantee that ALL PRIZES MUST GO!
One set of Monopoly label will be given out for each extra value meal and two for every upsized meal. What this means is that if Hazel and me both get an upsized meal on weekends, we will have a total of 8 sets, i.e. 16 labels!! WOAH. And I am not kidding about us eating lots of McDonalds these days.
Check out just a few labels that I have collected. These are just EXTRA sets of labels. What is the line up of "Collect to Win" prizes?
- 1 X S$80,000 cash (Grand Prize)
- 1 X Volkswagen Touran 1.4 TSI
- 1 X Holiday for 4 to Atlanta (USA) + $3,000 cash
- 1 X Holiday for 2 to Prague
- 20 X MacBook Air
- 45 X Flowriding for 2 at Wave House Sentosa
- 150 X $200 dENiZENTM Voucher
- 200 X $100 WE Cinemas Movie Card
There are also "Instant Win" prizes to be won and here is the line up.
- McDonald's menu items
- McDonald's Miniatures Collector's Sets (6 pieces per set)
- Volkswagen Bobby Cars for Toddlers
- $20 off $50 minimum spend on VW Merchandise
- $30 dENiZENTM Vouchers
- 1 for 1 Flowrides at Wave House Sentosa
- $8 WE Cinemas Weekend Movie Tickets
Call it luck or a weekend of eating McDonald's. But I am still missing a CHANCE CARD!! ARRGHH!
By the way, the labels will not be given for McDelivery services. McDonalds says that the labels are too precious to be let out of sight!
Check out the McDonald's Monopoly website for more details!
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